How life has changed in Neath Port Talbot

Neath Port Talbot's population increased by about 5,300 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the most notable changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 140,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Neath Port Talbot increased by 4.0%, from just over 134,000 to 140,000.

The addition of just over 5,300 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Neath Port Talbot was home to, on average, 2.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Neath Port Talbot

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Neath Port Talbot increased by two years, from 40 to 42 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Torfaen (one of the most statistically similar areas to Neath Port Talbot based on ONS area classifications) (41 years of age) and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 3,400 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 12.0% of people in Neath Port Talbot are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Neath Port Talbot fell from 17.8% to 15.3% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 2,484 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 7,457.

In Bridgend (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Neath Port Talbot), 9.7% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 10.6% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50.1% to 43.9%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Disability in Neath Port Talbot

Neath Port Talbot saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.1%) in Neath Port Talbot reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.2% in 2001. The percentage who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.9% to 7.4%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability occurred in Denbighshire (from 4.4% to 5.5%).

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

Neath Port Talbot saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.8%) in Neath Port Talbot reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 4.2% in 2001. The percentage that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.3%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care occurred in Denbighshire (from 3.0% to 3.6%).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Neath Port Talbot remained close to 4.8%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

Neath Port Talbot saw Wales' third-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10.5%) in Neath Port Talbot said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 16.4% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 59.7% to 73.3%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 18.1% to 11.2%) followed by Rhondda Cynon Taf (from 15.7% to 9.6%).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Neath Port Talbot decreased by 5.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Neath Port Talbot saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.5%) households in Neath Port Talbot had an unmarried couple, compared with 6.2% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person remained close to 30.2%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 6.4% to 10.5%) followed by Blaenau Gwent (from 7.1% to 10.4%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Neath Port Talbot increased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Neath Port Talbot saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

During this period, Neath Port Talbot overtook Newport and Torfaen to become the Wales local authority area with the fourth-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated.

In 2011, just over one in eight (12.8%) people aged 16 and over in Neath Port Talbot said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 11.1% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 52.9% to 47.5%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner occurred in Bridgend (from 10.9% to 12.6%) followed by Powys (from 10.0% to 11.7%).

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Neath Port Talbot without children increased from 58.5% to 58.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28.2%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 29.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Neath Port Talbot with only adult children living with their parents increased from 11.6% to 12.9%.

The proportion of households without children fell at the third fastest rate of all local authority districts across Wales. As a result, this area had the country's ninth lowest proportion of households without children and the lowest proportion of homeowners.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Neath Port Talbot

Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation in Neath Port Talbot, the largest percentage point increase was among those who said they had no religion, rising 15.8 points between 2001 and 2011. The census question about religion is voluntary, so varying response rates mean caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

In 2011, 36.5% of respondents in Neath Port Talbot said they had no religion, up from 20.7% in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of respondents who described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Around 62.2% of respondents in Neath Port Talbot said they were Christian, down from 78.5% in 2001. About 0.4% said they were Muslim, up from 0.3% a decade prior.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Neath Port Talbot increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Neath Port Talbot that rented privately increased from 5.9% to 10.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in five (19.1%) households lived in social housing, compared with 20.2% in 2001. The percentage of Neath Port Talbot households that owned their home decreased from 71.1% to 68.7%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than in nearby Bridgend (which remained close 12.3%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 8.6% to 14.1%.

Private renting in Neath Port Talbot increased by 4.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

The percentage of employed people increased in Neath Port Talbot at a faster rate than in nearby Bridgend.

In Neath Port Talbot, the proportion of employed people increased from 45.9% in 2001 to 49.8% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Bridgend increased from 49.8% to 51.3%.

Across Wales, the share of employed people increased from 47.5% to 49.6%.

The rate of unemployment in Neath Port Talbot increased from 3.9% to 4.5%, while the rate of self-employment increased from 4.7% to 5.7%.

The rate of employment was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Neath Port Talbot working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 10.4% to 7.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to nearby Bridgend (which remained close 8.5%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.0% to 9.3%.

Long hour working in Neath Port Talbot decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend and Wales that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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